How to Be a Songwriter – Tips for Writing Better Songs

How To Be a Songwriter – Ideas for Writing Better Songs

You write when you feel joy, hoping others will share in it. You write about the pain when you are rejected. You observe something that moves you and you write. You don’t write just for the pay or the recognition. Although you aren’t against those things, not getting them doesn’t stop you from writing.

How to Be a Songwriter and Be Successful

You write because you feel you have something to say, even when there is no one listening. What makes a songwriter? Writing and re-writing is what it takes to be a song writer and write better songs.

Develop Relationships with Other Songwriters

If you are writing for your own personal satisfaction, and you’re happy with your work, congratulations! You’ve arrived!

However, if you want commercial success, there’s more to do. If you’re a performing songwriter, find a way to get out there and get your music heard. If there’s not a writers’ night in your area, start one. It’s a great way to connect with other songwriters and grow.

Learn more about the craft from those who do it well. Co-writing songs is a great way to write better songs and develop lasting relationships.

Get Your Song Critiqued

Get your work critiqued by a professional or other songwriters. Take the advice and learn from it and re-write. Once you’ve given it your best, put it aside and write another one, and another. Writing a great song usually happens after you’ve written a lot of not so great ones.

Ask for Guidance

When you’ve got some material that is consistently getting some great reviews, it may be time to visit one of the performing rights agencies (BMI, ASCAP, SESAC). Make an appointment with someone in their writer-publisher relations department.

Go in with a sample of your best work (no more than a few songs), and ask for guidance. It’s extremely rare to be referred to a publisher on the first visit. Be open to the advice given. Remember, Nashville is filled with incredibly talented songwriters. Your work will have to compete with that. Last, but not least, invest some time developing relationships with others who are success at what they do, and whose talent you respect.

Get Your Paper Work in Order

Finally, don’t neglect handling your paperwork. It’s great to be creative, but it’s equally important to have your work in order and gain some understanding of the business. Finding and forming a relationship with a good publisher that works as hard as you do can help you in this area.

Great material, positive relationships, and good business sense are all necessary links in the chain to make a lasting career. Is it rare? YES. Is it possible? YES. And going after that possibility is what makes a songwriter.

If your interested find out more about Tammy Vice and her successful career as a songwriter and artist at TammyVice.com.